Fusible strut for automatic sprinkler-heads.



E. D. VAN NESS. FUSIBLE STRUT FOR AUTOMATIC sPRlNKLER HEADS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29. 1916.

Patented Sept. A12,v 1916.

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENEJ. VAN NESS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S. HIRSCHFELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FUSIBLE STRUT FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER-HEADS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.'

Application filed April 29, 1916. Serial N o. 94,384.

. To all ywhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EUGENE D. VAN NEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of the'BronX, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fusible Struts for Automatic Sprinkler-Heads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fusible struts for automatic sprinklers, and has for its object to greatly simplify the construction of such articles; to render them more sensitive and reliable in action; to so construct them that they will not hesitate or fail in action, but will work rapidly and positively; to construct and arrange the strut in the sprinkler head so that no part of the same will project outside the yoke of the head, so that it will not be exposed to accidents; to provide a spring action for the members of the strut, and so that they will have a constant leverage with each other, so that the strut will be positively thrown from the water closure'when released; and, finally, to so construct the members that they may be easily and cheaply manufactured and assembled, and that they will be durable and efficient in use. These and other objects of my invention are set forth in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the particular' features of novelty which constitute my invention being pointed out in the claims at the end hereof.

In the drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters and figures of reference refer to similar parts wherever they occur: Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a sprinkler head 'with one of my struts in place thereon, the

water defiector and compression screw being shown in full lines, and part of the base being broken away; Fig. 2 is a front elevation, part of the fusible solder being broken away to show the position j of the parts more clearly; Fig. 3 is a similar' view to Fig. 1, but illustrating the breaking apart of the strut when the fusible solder is melted, the base of the sprinkler head being shown in full lines, while the water deiiector and a` portion of the compression screw is broken away; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a water closure with which my strut may be used.

The sprinkler yoke and head may be" of any usual or desired construction, and forms no part. of my present invention. It comprises a base 1, yoke 2, top 3, and is provided, as usual, with a water discharge opening 4, a water deflector 5, and a compression screw 6 which has a screwthreaded bearing' in the 60 My strut is composed of three vertical plate members 7 89, formed of any suitable materlal, and arranged side by side, andparallel with each other. The base member 7 has an enlarged base, 10, with a tapered end 11 which is adapted to engage in a slot 12 formed in the upper surface of a water closure 13, which normally closes the water discharge opening 4. The base member 7 70 has an upwardly projecting extension. 14, formed with side flanges 15, 16, with a slot or depression between them, and with a ledge or platform'18, having an' inwardly inclined top surface. The top member 8 75 has an enlarged head 19, which has a conical depression 2O for receiving the point of the compression screw 6; a downwardly projecting `flange or part 21; and a tapered lower end 22 with side prongs 23, 24, which, 80, when the parts are assembled, pass downwardly upon either side of the base 10, and are adapted to prevent lateral displacement of the members 7 and 8 with respect to each other.

Thelocking member 9 is formed of a strip 85 of thin sheet, spring metal, adapted toV fit the slot or depression 17 in the base member 7, between the flanges 15, 16, and has its upper endbent outwardly somewhat. Thes'e parts are assembled together by placing the base 10. lVhile these parts are in this posii tion, and arranged side by side and parillel ,v

with each other, the bent end 25 of the lock- -ing member 9 is inserted behind the flange,

or other projecting part 21 of the top member, and then sutiicient pressure is applied upon the lower end of the locking member to force it into the slot or depression 17 in said base member, thereby locking the three members in operative position when the fusible solder is applied as hereinbelow described. The locking member 9 and the base member 7 are then soldered together, while the locking member is still held by pressure in the slot 17, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, care being taken that the top member' 8 remains unsoldered to the other members. The solder 26 employed for this purpose may be any suitable solder that will fuse at a predetermined temperature. When the strut is thus assembled it may be placed in the yoke of the sprinklerl by inserting 11. of the base member in the slot 12 of the water closure, and by bringing the head 19 of the top member under the compression screw 6, the pointed end of which is seated in the conical depression 20.

As the end of the compression screw is out of vertical line with the tapered end Q2 of the top member which is seated in the lowest point of the inclined platform. of the base member, a strong leverage is created between the members of the strut when compression is applied thereto. Said tapered end 22 is rhowever prevented from leaving the platform 18 by the inclined surface of the same, while the extension 14 of the base memberis maintained in close engagement with the opposing face of the top member by the action of the locking member and the fusible solder, until the parts are regularly released by a sufficient rise in temperature to fuse the solder.

1n case of fire the solder 2G fuses whenever the degree of predetermined temperature is reached, thereby releasing the locking member, which in turn releases the other members, so that all of said members'spring apart from each other, as shown in Fig. 3, and indicated by dotted lines and arrows in Fig. 1, and freethe water closure., therei by opening the sprinkler for a full flow of water.

Attempts have been made heretofore to form a two or three piece vertical strut, but in none of them, so far as I am aware, has there been sufficient inherent spring power or leverage between the members, and in other cases all of the members have been soldered. together so that in case of fire a portion only of the solder would be melted, thereby allowing a partialoperation of the strut so that the water closure would be partly opened, permitting a sufficient flow of water to so cool the strut that it would 'be greatly delayed in opening entirely, or entirely fail to fully operate In my invention only two of the members the tapered end` are soldered together, area of constantly exposed solder need be fused; all the parts, while held in constant forcible engagement, exert constant leverage against each other; and the rapid action of the members when released is greatly assisted by the functioning of my bent spring locking member, and the action of the base of the base member and its inclined platform in throwing off the top member. Moreover my construction provides against any lateral or other displacement between the members of the strut under the strains of compression, or otherwise, a disadvantage that is present in other struts now in use.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A fusible strut comprising three vertical, parallel members, one of which -is a spring locking member which is held in forcible engagement with the other two members, and'means for holding said members in operative position 'until released at a predetermined temperature.

2. A fusible strut comprising a base member, a top member supported upon said base member, and a spring locking member, one end of which engages a portion of the top member, and the other end of which is fusibly secured under pressure to the base member.

3. A fusible strut comprising a base member provided with an inwardly inclined platform, a top member loosely seated upon said platform, and a spring locking member one end of which forcibly engages a projecting part of said top member, and the other end of which is'fusibly secured under pressure to the base member.

4. A fusible strut comprising a base member having an inclined platform, a top member supported upon said platform, means for limiting the movement of'said members with relationtoeach other, and a spring locking member forcibly engaging with said base and top members, and fusible means holding said members in operative position until released at a predetermined temperature.

5. A fusible strut comprising a base member, a top member supported-upon said base member and having prongs which engage the sides of said base member, a spring locking member engaging said base and top members under' pressure, and fusible means .connecting said locking and base members. 6. A fusible strut comprising a base member, a top member supported upon said base member, means for limiting the movement of said members with relation to each other, a bent or curved spring forcibly engaging said base and top members, all of said members being arranged to so that only a limited locking member exert constant leverage lagainst each other, In testimony` whereof, I have signed my and fusible means'connecting said locking name to this specification in the and basemembers. of two subscribing witnesses", this 2 th day '7.` A fusible strut comprising three memof April, 1916.

5 bers, one of which is a spring locking mem- -EUGEN E D. VAN N ESS.

ber which .is held in forcible engagement Witnesses: I with the other twomembers, and fusible. WILLIAM E. RICHARDS, means connecting two only of said members. A. GARMAIzncopi of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, By addressing the "Commissioner of Patenti, Washington, D. c. 

